Car-coupling



` (No Model.)

J. GINGRICH. CAR GOUPLING.

Patentgd Sept. 15, 1891.

. M @wld UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN GINGRICH, OF AURORA, NEBRASKA.

CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 459,398, dated September 15, 1891.

Application tiled April 29, 1891. Serial No. 390,894. (No model.)

To all whoml it may concern:

Beit known that I, JOHN GINGRICH,a citi- Zen of the United States, residing at Aurora, in the county ot' Hamilton and State of Nebraska, have invented a new and useful Car- Coupling, of which the following is a specification. Y

The invention relates to improvements in car-couplings.

The object of the present invention is to `simplify and improve the construction of twin-jaw car-couplings and provide au efficient one adapted to couple automatically when cars come together and capable of being readily uncoupled without necessitating a person passing between the cars.

The invention 'consists of the construction and novel combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and pointed out in the claims hereto appended.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a car-coupler constructed in accordance with this invention. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view. Fig. Sis a transverse sectional view. Fig. 4c is a horizontal sectional View.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, 1 designates a coupler-head, which is rectangular in section and constructed of suitable metal and provided with a longitudinal opening and adapted to be suitably secured to a draw-bar of a car. Arranged in the opening of the coupler-head is the shank of ajaw 2, which is provided with a beveled face 3 and a shoulder et, and is adapted to engage a similar jaw, whereby cars are coupled together. The inner end of the shank is enlarged and provided with an opening, and is secured to the coupler-head by a pin 5, which is arranged in perforations at the top and bottom of the coupler-head. The jaws are held into engagement with each other by a spiral spring 6, which is interposed between the jaw and the adjacent side of the coupler-head, and when the cars come together the springs are compressed until the heads of the shanks slip past each other and the shoulders Il engage.

The cars are uncoupled by a lever 7, which is fulcrumed between arms S, extending laterally from the draw-head and provided with perforations to receive the pivot-bolt. The

- strength to the parts.

lower end of the-lever 7 is connected with the shank ot' the jaw by a rod 9, and when the upper end of the lever is forced inward the jaw is drawn aside to uncouple. The jaws are held aside and out of position for coupling by a latch 10, which is pivoted to the lever 7 and extends inward over the couplerhead, and is adapted to engage a shoulder 1l. The latch 10,'which falls by gravity, is held out of engagement with the shoulder by a latch-lever 12, which is L-shaped and is pivoted to thelever 7, near the upper end thereof, and is connected by a wire, chain, or the like with the latch, and is adapted to have its free end engaged by a link 13, secured to the upper end of the lever 7. The jaws are hollowed out at 14 to increase the lightness of the parts and to lessen the cost of construction, and the recess llforms flanges, which strengthen the head and give sufficient The jaws may be removed and the coupler-head be employed in connection with a link, and the coupler-head is provided with pin-openings 15 to receive a coupling-pin.

It will be seen that the car-coupling is simple and'inexpensive in construction and is automatic in operation, and that cars may be uncoupled without necessitating a person passing between them.

The coupler-head is provided with a pin 1G, which limits the movement of the jaw.

Thel pin-opening and the coupling-pin are to enable a car to couple to the front of an engine or to a car having the ordinary coupling.

What I claim isd 1. The combination of the coupler-head having an opening, the spring-actuated jaw pivoted in the opening, the arms extending laterally from the coupler-head, and the lever pivoted between the arms and provided with latch mechanism adapted to hold the jaw to one side of the opening, substantially as described.

2. The combination of the coupler head having an opening and provided on its upper face with a shoulder, the spring-actuatedjaw pivoted Within the opening, the arms extending laterally from the coupler-head, the lever 7, pivoted between the arms and having its IOO lower end connected with the jaw, the' latch p pivoted to the lever and arranged to engage having a recess 14, forming' anges, snbstan- [o the said shoulder, the L-shaped latch-lever tially as and for the purpose described.

pivoted to the lever 7 and connected with the In testimony that I claim the foregoing as latch, and the link arranged to engage the my own I have hereto aixed my signature in 5 latch-lever, substantially as described. presence of two Witnesses.

' 3. Theoombination of the coupler-head and JOHN GINGRICH.

the spring-actuated jaW pivotedr in theeoup- -Witnesses: ler-head and having its outer end or head H. A. SCOTT,

beveled and provided with a shoulder and l M. W. WALSH. 

